Despite considerable consolidation in the legal sector north of the border – including McGrigors merging with Pinsent Masons and Biggart Baillie teaming up with DWF – Brodies remains the largest law firm in Scotland in terms of partners.

The number of partners rose 11 per cent to 73 during the year, and the total number of Brodies staff grew from 472 to 513, an increase of 9%.

Over the past year the law firm has expanded its operations in Aberdeen and established a new office in Brussels designed to support Scottish clients requiring advice on EU regulation, competition and public law.

Brodies said the results were “a successful completion of the first year of the firm's three-year strategic plan, delivering sustained growth and a substantial increase in turnover.”

Bill Drummond, managing partner, said: “Amidst a period of economic turbulence, we have remained wedded to our strategy of delivering premium services and innovative solutions to all sectors that are important to the Scottish economy.

“This has included the expansion of our oil & gas and wider team in Aberdeen and our decision to open an office in Brussels in recognition that the work of the European Commission will have an ever more direct impact on both corporate and public sector activity in Scotland.”

Drummond added: “This investment strategy, combined with careful management of underlying costs, means we have no reliance on external debt - putting Brodies on a firm footing for future growth over the next two years of our 2011-14 strategic period.”